MEDITATION, PRANAYAMA
& QI GONG

MEDITATION

Meditation is a great way to turn our attention within, and learn to spend time with ourselves without judgment or distraction. It is the process of quieting the mind in order for it to return to a more natural state, free from excessive activity and agitation. A good meditation practice helps us to change our perspective. One of the goals of meditation is to become more aware of thoughts and feelings, so that we can choose more wisely how we allow them to influence our moods and behavior. Meditation is therefore crucial to both mental and physical health, and, over time, can assist personal and spiritual growth. Meditation practice generally consists in focusing on a single object such as the breath or an image, in order to achieve inner stillness.

There are many different types of meditation, and a number of highly experienced teachers live and practice here in Ubud. We will help you find the teacher who can best introduce you to a suitable form of meditation, or help you to continue an existing practice.

Some of the main proven benefits of meditation are: stress reduction, increased inner peace, a greater ability to accept life on life’s terms, improved concentration, greater self-awareness, a healthier sense of perspective.

When practiced regularly over a prolonged period of time, mediation is a life-changing practice. It empowers the individual and makes us less slaves to impulses, compulsions, and negative habits. While adopting, and continuing a meditation practice in daily life is challenging, the benefits are worth the investment of time, effort and perseverance, and no recovery program would be complete without it.

PRANAYAMA

Dating back to the origins of yoga in ancient India, pranayama consists of breathing exercises that help clear physical and emotional blockages, in order for prana, or ‘life energy’, to circulate freely. The Sanskrit, “pranayama” is composed of the two words, “prana” and “yama”, and is most often translated as “mastery of the life force”, or sometimes, “removal of obstacles to free the flow of life force.” In yoga, prana, refers to the life force that animates and sustains the living world, of which we are a part.

Pranayama techniques have different effects, much as different asanas/yoga poses do. Most kinds of pranayama are practiced in a seated position with the spine upright. The idea is for the breath to be smooth and even. Some pranayamas, such as Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath), follow a fast rhythm accompanied by abdominal contractions to expel the breath, and are energizing and detoxing. Others are balancing or relaxing, such as Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) or Sama Vritti (equal breathing) where inhalations and exhalations are of equal length.

QI GONG

This ancient practice originated in Taoist and Buddhist monasteries in China. It is an aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) involving set patterns of bodily movement and postures, coordinated with specific breathing techniques. Qigong is usually practiced to increase bodily awareness and to harness the body’s innate abilities to heal Qi Gong and is a calming and restorative practice and can be described as ‘meditation in motion’. Regular practice of Qi Gong can be beneficial in the treatment for mild depression, stress or anxiety. If you find sitting meditation to be a challenge, give Qi Gong a try.

BEGIN YOUR transformation TODAY

You will have the luxury of recovering in complete confidentiality with your own personal team of highly qualified practitioners at your service, all on the paradise island of Bali.